The present invention has to do with an insertion device for a transcutaneous sensor. The insertion of a transcutaneous sensor has long proved a difficult problem. It is advantageous that a transcutaneous sensor be made as thin as possible so that the disruption to the skin is minimized. With current materials, however, it is difficult to impossible for such a thin device to be made strong enough to breach the skin. A hypodermic needle would be a good type of introduction device or trocar (medical breaching device), but if the transcutaneous sensor is threaded through the hypodermic needle, then the removal of the transcutaneous sensor from within the hypodermic needle presents a real difficulty. There is a teaching of the use of a slotted needle to introduce the sensor and then permit the disengagement of the sensor and introduction device. Nevertheless, there is an unfilled need for an alternative method of introducing a transcutaneous sensor into a patient or test subject. It would be desirable for such a method to use a standard, and therefore widely available, hypodermic needle as a trocar.
An insertion device includes an insertable portion adapted to be inserted into and retained in an animal body and an ex vivo portion that is adapted to be worn while the insertable portion remains inserted. The device further includes a trocar that is adapted to insert the insertable portion into the animal body. In addition, a cavity in the ex vivo portion is adapted to accept and retain the trocar after the insertable portion is inserted and a force application device is adapted to withdraw the trocar from the animal body and place it in the cavity.
An insertion device is adapted to automatically insert a biodevice into an animal body. The device includes a guide portion having first and second major exterior surfaces set at an acute angle to each other and a trocar set to releasably slide along the first major surface. In addition, a force application assembly is adapted to release the trocar and force it to slide along the first major surface.